I'm building a new computer for basic 4K video editing, and am stuck on whether to go with a 5820K or a 6700K. I prefer the latter if the performance difference won't be too great, due to the lower power / cooler running of Skylake, plus the Z170's newer tech (not a huge difference, but things like native USB 3.1 and M.2 support feel good). However, the current supply shortage has made me antsy, and I've begun to wonder whether I should go with Haswell-E or not.

The main things I'd like to improve over my current system (i7-920, 12GB RAM -- 6+ years old) are:

1. Warp Stabilizer speed (super slow on my current machine, and sometimes I have nothing else to do so just have to wait);

I would probably moderately OC both: the 5820K to around 4 GHz, and the 6700K to around 4.5GHz. The system will have 32GB RAM. For GPU, I was thinking of using the built-in one with the 6700K (waiting for a possible Pascal purchase next year, just because ), and a GTX 950 or 960 with the 5820K.

Can anyone tell me if there would be a significant performance boost with the 5820K over the 6700K for my 3 areas of interest?

the i7-5820k is around 20% faster, but may not do as well for any program or plugin that doesn't multi-thread properly. i would avoid skylake at these prices, its just way to close to x99 which has more potential.

If a 5820K is only going to be about 20% faster, I can wait for the 6700K shortage to end. Intel originally predicted the shortage would last until around now, so hopefully within the next few weeks to a month, pricing should be more in-line with where it should be.

For your workflows, I'd say going with the x99 platform is a no-brainer.

Both systems would likely preform similarly with the 5820k having the edge, but the x99 has so much more grow room and frankly you may want that for your intended workflows. Its more than lanes - its memory channels and CPU options too.

Suggest:

- go w/ x99

- purchase 4x8GB sticks (32GB) with memory that is compatible with 4 similar sticks that could take it to 64GB (IE loves RAM)

- purchase the i7-5820k at a local store that accepts returns (Micro Center, Fry's, etc.) and make sure that you will be happy with a 6-core rig

- or, purchase the 5820k now and know that you can upgrade later with the same mb/RAM/etc to a more powerful CPU

- consider a GTX 970 (or better) too; I've not done any A/B testing with 950, 960, 970 cards, but I can say that Adobe CC just seems to use more and more GPU processing with newer software releases; my GTX Titan will hit 40% during playback at times with 4k workflows and renders to DVD can approach 100% GPU usage

You don't state what 4k you will be using and it does make a difference. RED 4k for example is quite a bit more taxing to edit than consumer 4k media (Sony AX100, etc.).

Thanks, Jim. That makes some sense to me. I'm just trying to wrap my head around it, because I had really been aiming for a Skylake build. (I've bought everything but CPU & mobo, *including* 2x16GB sticks, which I'd have to return if I go with an x99 board.) I think my reluctance is based mainly on two things: The power/heat (ambient indoor temps get very high here in the Summer, so I'm slightly worried about a moderate overclocking of a 5820K), and whether the faster 6700K wouldn't be better for Warp Stablizer (which I assume is single-threaded -- but perhaps I'm wrong).

It's consumer 4K: Panasonic GH4.

And the main reason I was thinking about a cheaper GTX 960 is because (as I mentioned in the OP), I had originally planned to not even buy a card with the 6700K until a Pascal-based solution becomes available next year. But maybe I should just go all in now and be done with it. Decisions, decisions.

I don't know how this ended up in the Premiere Pro community; sometimes I'm such an idiot. No wonder no one could tell me about my 3 specific areas of concern (Warp Stabilizer, rendering in AE or AME, and preview framerates).

I meant to put this in the AE forum. Is there any way for me to move it? Perhaps there's an admin lurking who might have such power?

Well, that might make my decision easier. I had read last week someone saying supplies of the 6700K should catch up to demand by the 20th of this month, but there was no supporting link to go with that. I was skeptical, because I assume many tech businesses pretty much shut down for the last 2 weeks of the year. Thanks for the info.

....you may want to wait for Broadwell E coming out soon......the expensive "flagship" 6950X will have TEN cores and a 25MB cache !! The mid-level CPUs should be available with 8 cores and even will possibly outperform the current 5960X Haswell E at a much cheaper price.

The 5820K has too few PCI lanes .....you are better off with the 5830K if you have to buy right now.

....I stated that the 5930K may be better because of the extra Gen. 3 PCI lanes it provides. If you ever WERE to use 2 high quality video cards in your machine, THAT would take up 32 lanes right there with them running at full speed, ( 16x each) !! Not to mention any PCI SSDs that are the high speed future of storage that many are using NOW !! 28 lanes would LIMIT you to one GPU operating at full speed at 16x speed, and a second would be reduced to 8x speed, leaving you with just 4 lanes. If you are SURE you are only going to use one GPU, then 28 lanes should be fine.

Yes I've been thinking about the lane difference between the 5920 and 5930 but concluded that because I won't be gaming, instead video editing, one 6GB graphics card should be plenty. If as time passes this proves not to be the case I could perhaps upgrade the graphics card to a 12GB version rather than adding another one - do you think that might work?

.....soon, the NVidia pascal GPUs will be out and they are already being touted as a huge improvemen over the current GPUs....they will feature more memory and a higher clock speed.....and a greater throughput as well. I am waiting for the Broadwell E to come out, along with the Pascal. The truth is that everytime you turn around, what ever you bought becomes overtaken by new hardware in a relatively fast amunt of time....